New Zealand Defence Force
Te Ope Kaatua O Aotearoa

31 October 2008

Guns Ready To Fire In Trans Tasman Exercise

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Personnel and artillery from the New Zealand Army’s 16th Field Regiment are set to take part in Exercise Long Guns in Townsville, Australia from 1-7 November.

The exercise will be the largest combined gunnery concentration to occur in either Australia or New Zealand for a number of years, with gunners of Kapyong Battery of 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery (RNZA) working alongside the Australian Army 1st Division and Royal Australian Artillery (RAA) units.

Kapyong Battery is an amalgamation of 161 and 163 Battery personnel not committed to reconstruction and peace support operations in Afghanistan and Timor Leste and was formed in 2006 to maintain an offensive support operational output.

Commanding Officer of 16th Field Regiment, RNZA, Lieutenant Colonel Nick Gillard said that along with the preceding Exercise Swift Eagle, also held in Australia, the Battery has had a valuable opportunity to conduct realistic training in a combined arms environment.

“Given the current operational tempo of the NZ Army, the opportunity to conduct combined arms training in an inter-state conflict scenario will be of real benefit to Kapyong Battery.

“Core gunnery skills are set to be tested and for many young officers and soldiers it will be the first time they will see other war fighting capabilities. This will make them all better soldiers for the experience,” said Lieutenant Colonel Gillard.

Throughout the exercise Kapyong Battery will be tested by the staff from the New Zealand Army's School of Artillery, with a focus on the achievement of Offensive Support Mission Essential Tasks (MET) in a coalition regimental environment.

ENDS

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